{"id":151600,"date":"2026-11-03T14:29:23","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T14:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/?post_type=comparative_guide&#038;p=151600"},"modified":"2026-11-03T16:13:39","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:13:39","slug":"sweden-sports-law","status":"publish","type":"comparative_guide","link":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/chapter\/sweden-sports-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweden: Sports Law"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-151600","comparative_guide","type-comparative_guide","status-publish","hentry","guides-sports-law","jurisdictions-sweden"],"acf":[],"appp":{"post_list":{"below_title":"<div class=\"guide-author-details\"><span class=\"guide-author\">Advokatfirman Vinge<\/span><span class=\"guide-author-logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2019\/03\/vinge_logo_primargron_RGB.jpg\"\/><\/span><\/div>"},"post_detail":{"above_title":"<div class=\"guide-author-details\"><span class=\"guide-author\">Advokatfirman Vinge<\/span><span class=\"guide-author-logo\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2019\/03\/vinge_logo_primargron_RGB.jpg\"\/><\/span><\/div>","below_title":"<span class=\"guide-intro\">This country specific Q&amp;A provides an overview of Sports Law laws and regulations applicable in Sweden<\/span><div class=\"guide-content\"><div class=\"filter\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Search questions and answers...\" class=\"filter-container__search-field\">\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<ol class=\"custom-counter\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Do you have a specific sport tribunal in your country to decide sports-related domestic issues for one or more disciplines? Are there any other sports-specific alternative dispute resolutions in your country, i.e. mediation, conciliation, or sports ombuds instance? Are there cases that can or cannot be submitted to a specific sports tribunal or cannot be subject to arbitration (e.g. labor disputes)?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Sweden&#8217;s organised sports movement operates under the umbrella of the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>, <em>RF<\/em>), which is funded by public money and has 72 National Sport Federations (Sw. <em>specialidrottsf\u00f6rbund<\/em>) comprising approximately 18,000 individual sports clubs.<\/p>\n<p>The Supreme Sports Tribunal (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsn\u00e4mnden, RIN<\/em>), which operates under\u00a0RF, is the highest adjudicating body within Swedish sport. Disciplinary and other decisions made by the respective National Sport Federations can be appealed to RIN. RIN also serves as the second instance in doping cases. In such cases, the Doping Tribunal (Sw. <em>Dopingn\u00e4mnden<\/em>) is the first-instance adjudicating body.\u00a0 RIN likewise serves as the second-instance adjudicating body in cases under the Sports\u2019 Regulations on Unlawful Betting and Manipulation of Sport Activities (Sw. <em>Idrottens reglemente om otill\u00e5ten vadh\u00e5llning samt manipulation av idrottslig verksamhet<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>According to the Statutes of RF, disputes in which the parties are, for example, an individual member, association, IdrottsAB, Special District Federations (Sw. <em>Specialidrottsdistriktsf\u00f6rbund<\/em>), district, National Sport Federations, or RF, may not be brought before a general court. Such a dispute shall, except where other special procedure is prescribed in the Statutes of RF or the statutes of a National Sport Federation, be settled in accordance with a regulation for the Sports Arbitration Tribunal (Sw. <em>Reglemente f\u00f6r idrottens skiljen\u00e4mnd<\/em>) laid down by the Executive Board of the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsstyrelsen<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>The Sports Ombudsman (Sw. <em>Idrottsombudsmannen, IO<\/em>) is a body established within RF that, although part of RF, operates with an independent function. The IO is responsible for safeguarding the sports movement&#8217;s mission, vision and core values across the Swedish sports movement. In fulfilling this role, the IO receives information, provides advice and offers guidance. The IO also investigates matters involving suspected breaches under Chapter 14 of the Statutes of RF (governing disciplinary proceedings).<\/p>\n<p>In situations where the relationship between a club and a professional is deemed to constitute an employment, there is generally, apart from certain discrimination disputes, no restriction on agreeing to arbitration proceedings within, for example, a sports tribunal.<\/p>\n<p>Although there is no specific legislation governing non-profit associations (Sw. <em>ideella f\u00f6reningar<\/em>) in Sweden, it follows from general principles of law that a member of such an association could potentially bring a challenge action (Sw. <em>klandertalan<\/em>) before the general courts to have the validity of a resolution adopted by the association&#8217;s supreme decision-making body reviewed on the grounds that the resolution was not duly adopted or that it contravenes the association&#8217;s articles of association.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the Supreme Court has held that, as a general rule, decisions to expel a member from a sports association are a matter for the association itself to determine and are not subject to judicial review.<\/p>\n<p>An expulsion may, however, be challenged before a general court where the membership is of economic significance to the member in the exercise of his or her professional activities, or, in exceptional cases, where it is alleged to constitute discrimination on grounds of race, religion or other comparable circumstances rendering the expulsion manifestly improper (Sw. <em>uppenbart otillb\u00f6rlig<\/em>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How is Sports law codified in your country? Is there a specific Statute or Code? Are there national sports authorities, independent agencies, or government ministries responsible for oversight?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Sweden has no single, comprehensive sports law statute or code. Instead, multiple general laws apply to the sports sector, such as the Doping Act (Sw. <em>Lag (1991:1969) om f\u00f6rbud mot vissa dopningsmedel<\/em>), the Gambling Act (Sw. <em>Spellag (2018:1138)<\/em>), the Marketing Act (Sw. <em>Marknadsf\u00f6ringslag (2008:486)<\/em>), supplemented by the internal rules of the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet, RF<\/em>) and the National Sport Federations (Sw. <em>specialidrottsf\u00f6rbund<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>RF is the unifying organisation for sport activities in Sweden. In Sweden, the fundamental idea of sport participation relies on the notion of a right to self-determination. Sport organisations and clubs are autonomous, self-governing bodies. This principle is grounded in the freedom of association protected in the Swedish Constitution. Swedish sports law must therefore be considered with that in mind.<\/p>\n<p>The Statutes of RF constitute the main body of rules regulating sport in Sweden. Within these Statutes, three main regulations are given formal status to be used as grounds for punitive actions, the Sports Anti-Doping Regulations (Sw. <em>Idrottens antidopingreglemente<\/em>), the Sports\u2019 Regulations on Unlawful Betting and Manipulation of Sport Activities (Sw. <em>Idrottens reglemente om otill\u00e5ten vadh\u00e5llning samt manipulation av idrottslig verksamhet<\/em>), and the Disciplinary Regulations for Sports (Sw. <em>Idrottens bestraffningsreglemente<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>As regards government oversight, sports policy currently falls under the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (Sw. <em>Socialdepartementet<\/em>). The Swedish Centre for Sport Research (Sw. <em>Centrum f\u00f6r idrottsforskning, CIF<\/em>), a government agency, is tasked with distributing research funding and evaluating how state support for sport is used.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Advertising and marketing in sport: which are the limitations foreseen in your country, for instance in relation to alcohol, tobacco or betting advertising on or around sports infrastructure, on official clothing, etc.?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Advertising and marketing of sport in Sweden are governed by the Swedish Marketing Act (Sw. <em>Marknadsf\u00f6ringslagen (2008:486)<\/em>) which sets out general rules on marketing. In addition to this overarching framework, sector-specific legislation imposes further restrictions on products like alcohol, tobacco, and gambling.<\/p>\n<p>All marketing of alcoholic beverages must comply with the requirement of particular moderation (Sw. <em>s\u00e4rskild m\u00e5ttfullhet<\/em>) in marketing. This means that marketing must be focused on providing neutral and factual information about the product. The marketing must not encourage the consumption of alcohol or aim to attract particular attention. It should be especially noted that it is not permitted to market alcoholic beverages in commercial advertisements on radio, television, on-demand television, or satellite television broadcasts. In addition, companies whose principal business is the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products are prohibited from sponsoring programmes in television broadcasts, searchable teletext, or on-demand television.<\/p>\n<p>As for tobacco, the general rule is that marketing of tobacco products is prohibited.<\/p>\n<p>The marketing of gambling must be moderate. Whether marketing meets this requirement should be determined through an overall assessment, taking into account how the marketing is intended to be perceived by its target audience, the medium used, and its content. The marketing should not be intrusive or attract particular attention, but should provide a factual, balanced, and reliable presentation of the gambling form and the chances of winning.<\/p>\n<p>It is worth noting that for cross-border marketing, the practical enforceability of the Swedish marketing restrictions described above may be affected by the pending Supreme Court case <em>Parf\u00fcmerie Akzente<\/em> (Case No. T 3111-25, previously PMT 12383-21). The case concerns the fundamental conflict in Swedish marketing law between the country-of-effect principle in which the Swedish Marketing Act applies to marketing directed at Swedish consumers regardless of origin \u2013 and the country-of-origin principle enshrined in the Swedish E-Commerce Act which provides that, within the coordinated field, an online service provider is subject only to the law of its country of establishment. The outcome of this case may have significant implications for Swedish marketing law, including marketing within the sports industry. If the Supreme Court determines that the country-of-origin principle effectively displaces the country-of-effect principle for online marketing, it could mean that foreign operators established in other EU Member States would not be bound by the, often more restrictive, Swedish rules on marketing of alcohol, tobacco, and gambling etc., provided their marketing complies with the requirements in their home jurisdiction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Match-fixing: How is match-fixing and other forms of match manipulation combated in your country? Has your country ratified the Macolin Convention? What is the role of the sports betting industry in your country and is it subject to any specific state regulations?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The main actors in combatting match-fixing in Sweden are the Swedish Gambling Authority (Sw. <em>Spelinspektionen<\/em>), the Swedish Police Authority, the Swedish Prosecution Authority, and the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet, RF<\/em>).\u00a0Together, these bodies have established a dedicated council on match-fixing, which promotes strategic and operational cooperation between the relevant authorities and sporting organisations.<\/p>\n<p>Under Swedish law, the\u00a0<em>Gambling Fraud Offence<\/em>\u00a0(Sw. <em>spelfusk<\/em>) criminalises undue influence on licensed gambling outcomes. The standard form of the offence carries a penalty of up to two years&#8217; imprisonment, while a gross form may result in imprisonment for up to six years. In addition, unsporting conduct without gambling impact may still breach sports rules or count as bribery.<\/p>\n<p>The Swedish Gambling Authority has issued\u00a0SIFS 2020:2, regulations developed in consultation with RF and industry bodies, to counter match-fixing and regulate the reporting of suspected manipulation in sports betting. RF further maintains the Sports\u2019 Regulations on Unlawful Betting and Manipulation of Sport Activities (Sw. <em>Idrottens reglemente om otill\u00e5ten vadh\u00e5llning samt manipulation av idrottslig verksamhet<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>Sweden ratified the Macolin Convention on 19 December 2024.<\/p>\n<p>The sports betting industry, along with other forms of gambling, is heavily regulated in Sweden. The principal legislation governing Sweden&#8217;s gambling market, including sports betting, is the Swedish Gambling Act (Sw. <em>Spellagen (2018:1138)<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>The Gambling Act applies to all gambling involving money or prizes with a monetary value that is offered in Sweden, including online gambling directed at the Swedish market. The core principle is that all operators on the Swedish market must hold a licence, which is granted by the Swedish Gambling Authority (Sw. <em>Spelinspektionen<\/em>). Gambling or sports betting services must furthermore be appropriate from a public policy perspective and must be conducted in a responsible and safe (Sw. <em>sunt och s\u00e4kert<\/em>) manner under public supervision. This entails, <em>inter alia<\/em>, that such services must be accompanied by strong consumer protection, with a high level of security and in a manner that minimizes negative consequences of gambling and betting. A licence may only be granted to a person who is deemed to have the knowledge and organisational capacity required to carry out the business, can be expected to comply with relevant legislation, and is otherwise deemed suitable to carry out the intended business. For instance, anyone wishing to offer betting services must obtain a dedicated betting licence under the Gambling Act. In addition, the Gambling Act imposes a separate permit requirement in respect of gaming software (Sw. <em>tillst\u00e5nd f\u00f6r spelprogramvara<\/em>) under which any person who manufactures, provides, installs or modifies gaming software used for online gaming or betting must hold such a permit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Is there an institution safeguarding the integrity across sports in your country, e.g. ethics and doping violations or abuse cases? Which rules does such an institution apply?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>, RF) is the overarching governing body for sport in Sweden and bears overall responsibility for safeguarding integrity within the Swedish sports movement. This encompasses anti-doping, match-fixing, ethics, and the prevention of abuse. The statutes of RF expressly commit the entire movement to fair play, including actively working against doping in and out of competition.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from what has already been mentioned above, it can be noted that RF, the Anti-Doping Foundation (Sw. <em>Antidopingstiftelsen<\/em>), and Antidoping Sverige AB (ADSE) jointly work to ensure doping-free sport. The Swedish Sports Anti-Doping Regulations (Sw. <em>Idrottens Antidopingreglemente<\/em>, IDR) is based on the World Anti-Doping Agency\u2019s Model Rules for National Anti-Doping Organizations. According to the IDR, ADSE is responsible for, <em>inter alia<\/em>, conducting anti-doping control processes and cooperating with national and international anti-doping organizations. The IDR is updated when necessary to align with the World Anti-Doping Code, facilitated by the World Anti-Doping Agency.<\/p>\n<p>The Doping Tribunal (Sw. <em>Dopingn\u00e4mnden<\/em>) is an independent body from the Executive Board of the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsstyrelsen<\/em>) and is the first instance for doping violations under the IDR. The Supreme Sports Tribunal (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsn\u00e4mnden, RIN<\/em>) serves as the second instance in doping cases.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How is corruption in sport regulated in your country? Is corruption between private individuals subject to criminal or civil liability and are there any sport specific corruption regulations?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Sweden does not have a single, consolidated statute governing sports corruption. Instead, the regulatory framework is a patchwork of general criminal law provisions, civil law principles, and sector-specific rules administered by sports governing bodies. The relevant legislation sits primarily in\u00a0the Swedish Penal Code (Sw. <em>Brottsbalken (1962:700)<\/em>). It could also be noted that the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>, <em>RF<\/em>) has adopted the Sports Regulations on Unlawful Betting and Manipulation of Sport Activities (Sw. <em>Idrottens reglemente om otill\u00e5ten vadh\u00e5llning samt manipulation av idrottslig verksamhet<\/em>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">How is fan behavior regulated by law (for example banning orders, criminal penalties for violence, specific laws addressing measures against violence at sporting events etc.)?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>In Sweden, there is a broad consensus among, e.g. the sports movement, the organised supporters\u2019 movement and the Police Authority regarding the so-called \u201cexclusion strategy\u201d: it is those who disrupt public order and commit offences who should be excluded from sporting events, rather than measures being imposed on the broader fan community.<\/p>\n<p>The principal statute directly addressing fan behaviour at sporting events, is the Act on Restraining Orders for Certain Sporting Events (Sw. <em>Lag (2005:321) om tilltr\u00e4desf\u00f6rbud vid idrottsarrangemang<\/em>). Under this Act, the public prosecutor may issue a banning order prohibiting a person from attending sporting events where there is a risk that the person will commit a criminal offence at the sporting event. In order to facilitate the enforcement of banning orders in practice, the Act on Sports Organisations&#8217; Processing of Data on Banning Orders (Sw. <em>Lag (2015:51) om idrottsorganisationers behandling av uppgifter om tilltr\u00e4desf\u00f6rbud<\/em>) allows sports organisations to process personal data from the banning order register maintained by the Police Authority.<\/p>\n<p>General criminal law provisions also apply to fan behaviour. The Swedish Penal Code (Sw. <em>Brottsbalken (1962:700)<\/em>) covers offences such as assault and violent rioting.<\/p>\n<p>The Public Order Act (Sw. <em>Ordningslag (1993:1617)<\/em>) is another key piece of legislation for sporting events. The Act regulates public gatherings and events and includes specific provisions applicable at certain sporting events, such as the use of pyrotechnic articles, which is a recurring concern in Swedish football. The use of flares, smoke bombs, and other pyrotechnics is also regulated under the Act on Flammable and Explosive Goods (Sw. <em>Lag (2010:1011) om brandfarliga och explosiva varor<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>As regards recent and ongoing legislative developments, the Swedish Government has also set up a committee of inquiry into safer sporting events, whose report (SOU 2025:46) was submitted and referred for consultation in 2025. The Swedish Government has begun work on the proposals aimed at making it easier for sports organisations to process personal data in order to promote order and safety at sporting events, while other proposals in the report are still being considered within the Government Offices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What legal frameworks exist around the ownership and governance of professional sports clubs (e.g. foreign ownership restrictions, fan ownership models, licensing requirements)?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>, <em>RF<\/em>) is a non-profit organisation that functions as the overarching body for organised sport in Sweden. It comprises 72 National Sport Federations (Sw. <em>specialidrottsf\u00f6rbund<\/em>), along with their affiliated non-profit sports clubs.<\/p>\n<p>The ownership and governance of professional sports clubs in Sweden are governed primarily by the regulatory framework of RF, rather than by dedicated legislation.<\/p>\n<p>Most Swedish sports clubs are non-profit associations (Sw. <em>ideella f\u00f6reningar<\/em>). Strictly speaking, these clubs do not have \u201cowners\u201d but members, who exercise democratic control through the association&#8217;s governing bodies. Key features of the non-profit associations include democratic governance and open membership.<\/p>\n<p>The most significant governance rule is the so-called 51 per cent rule (Sw. <em>51-procentsregeln<\/em>). Sports clubs affiliated with RF may transfer certain commercial activities (e.g. elite team operations) to a limited company (known as an IdrottsAB). However, the Statutes of RF require that the founding non-profit association must retain a majority of the votes in that company. This means that whilst external investors (including foreign investors) may acquire shares in an IdrottsAB, they may not obtain majority voting power.<\/p>\n<p>Notwithstanding the 51 per cent rule and the principles of democratic governance and open membership, professional sports clubs have several sources of revenue, including ticket revenues, transfers of players, donations from foundations or other benefactors, advertising and sponsorship deals, revenue from broadcasting rights, and, in case of professional football, UEFA payments.<\/p>\n<p>As for licensing requirements, these are regulated by each member federation rather than by general legislation. Federations such as the Swedish Football Association (Sw. <em>Svenska Fotbollf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>) and the Swedish Ice Hockey Association (Sw. <em>Svenska Ishockeyf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>) operate their own elite licensing systems (Sw. <em>elitlicens<\/em>), imposing requirements on clubs&#8217; finances, organisation and facilities for participation in the top divisions.<\/p>\n<p>For example, the Swedish Football Association&#8217;s elite licensing regulations (Sw. <em>Reglemente f\u00f6r Elitlicens<\/em>) govern participation in the highest divisions in football. Key requirements include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>no negative equity;<\/li>\n<li>no overdue payables to players, clubs or tax authorities;<\/li>\n<li>qualified coaching staff; and<\/li>\n<li>annual medical examinations and anti-match-fixing training.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The national system implements and supplements the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Sustainability Regulations (Edition 2025), which set minimum criteria across sporting, infrastructure, personnel, legal and financial categories for entry into UEFA club competitions. The Swedish Football Association may impose stricter or additional requirements for its domestic leagues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Do you observe an increase in multi-sport ownership in your country, either across various sports or within one sport or sports discipline?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>As described under question 8, the most important factor shaping ownership in Swedish sport is the 51% rule, which means that sports clubs affiliated with the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>, <em>RF<\/em>) may transfer certain commercial activities to a limited company provided that the sports club must retain a majority of the votes\u00a0in that company.<\/p>\n<p>As a consequence of the 51% rule, multi-sport ownership, in the sense of a single investor or group acquiring controlling stakes across clubs in various sports, has not emerged as a significant trend in Sweden.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the 51% rule, multi-club ownership (MCO) is starting to find its way into Swedish sports. For instance, a women&#8217;s football-focused MCO group acquired a 49% stake in FC Roseng\u00e5rd&#8217;s women&#8217;s team, with the club retaining 51% ownership through a new holding company, FC Roseng\u00e5rd Elitfotboll AB. Alongside Roseng\u00e5rd, the MCO group also owns French club Montpellier, making it a cross-border MCO group.<\/p>\n<p>It should also be noted that many of Sweden&#8217;s most prominent sports clubs have historically been operating across a wide range of sporting disciplines. A notable example is AIK (Allm\u00e4nna Idrottsklubben), which currently fields teams in 13 different sports, including football, ice hockey, handball, basketball, American football, and golf. While multi-sport <em>ownership<\/em> by external investors remains limited due to the 51% rule, multi-sport <em>activity<\/em> under one club association is a longstanding feature of Swedish sport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Are there any mandatory national provisions, apart from regulations of international sports governing bodies, which regulate athlete representation in your jurisdiction and are there specific limitations to the representation of athletes, such as e.g. provisions regarding dual representation, caps on agent commissions, regulations on the protection of minor athletes?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Sweden does not have any sport-specific national legislation that directly governs athlete representation. There is no dedicated &#8220;Sports Agent Act&#8221; or comparable statute setting out commission caps or rules on dual representation for sports agents. That said, several general Swedish statutes apply to athlete representation, such as the Swedish Contracts Act (Sw. <em>Lag (1915:218) om avtal och andra r\u00e4ttshandlingar p\u00e5 f\u00f6rm\u00f6genhetsr\u00e4ttens omr\u00e5de<\/em>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Are there national statutory frameworks, apart from regulations of international sports governing bodies, or cases concerning the participation of transgender athletes in competitive sport in your country? How is the issue currently regulated and\/or debated?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Sweden does not currently have a national statutory framework specifically regulating the participation of transgender athletes in competitive sport.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>, <em>RF<\/em>) has decided on guidelines for the inclusion of persons with trans experience and intersex variations (Sw. <em>Riktlinjer f\u00f6r inkludering av personer med transerfarenhet och intersexvariationer<\/em>). The guidelines are primarily aimed at the National Sport Federations for each individual sport, which in turn can utilize the guidelines as support for their own work with issues regarding transgender athletes\u2019 participation in sports. Thus, it is the individual National Sports Federations who independently decide on how to regulate participation of transgender athletes, without interference from the state or other politically governed bodies. For instance, the Swedish Football Association has recently reviewed its own guidelines on transgender persons within Swedish football, which are anticipated to be put to a vote in late 2026.<\/p>\n<p>The abovementioned guidelines for the inclusion of persons with trans experience and intersex variations also serve as non-binding guidance for individual sport clubs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What is the legal framework for e-sports in your jurisdiction? Is there a specific Statute or Code in your country or motions to implement such?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>The Swedish E-Sports Association (Sw. <em>Svenska E-sportf\u00f6rbundet, SESF<\/em>) is the primary governing body for organised e-sports in Sweden. SESF is a member of the Swedish Sports Confederation (Sw. <em>Riksidrottsf\u00f6rbundet<\/em>, <em>RF<\/em>) and is accordingly subject to RF&#8217;s regulatory framework, including the Statutes of RF. In addition to this, SESF also maintains its own regulatory frameworks, including\u00a0the Swedish E-Sports Association\u2019s Anti-Doping Plan (Sw. <em>Svenska E-sportf\u00f6rbundets Antidopingplan<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>There is no specific Swedish statute regulating e-sports.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">Which has been the leading sports law case of the past year in your country?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>Although there is no clear single leading sports law case from the past year, a judgment delivered by the Svea Court of Appeal (Sw. <em>Svea Hovr\u00e4tt<\/em>) is nevertheless worth noting. While the case strictly concerns gambling rather than sports law as such, it has attracted considerable attention for its holding that agreements entered into with a person suffering from gambling addiction were contrary to good faith and fair dealing.<\/p>\n<p>The case concerned a problem gambler (PJ) who, over a three-year period, entered into more than 8,000 betting agreements with two betting companies, primarily on horse racing and live sports events. He wagered approximately SEK 60 million and sustained net losses of roughly SEK 4.7 million. PJ was a VIP member of the companies&#8217; loyalty programmes and had a dedicated account manager. He brought proceedings to recover his net losses, arguing that the agreements were contrary to good faith and fair dealing under Section 33 of the Swedish Contracts Act (Sw. <em>Lag (1915:218) om avtal och andra r\u00e4ttshandlingar p\u00e5 f\u00f6rm\u00f6genhetsr\u00e4ttens omr\u00e5de<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>The District Court dismissed the claim. However, on appeal, the Svea Court of Appeal reached a different conclusion, applying the principles established by the Supreme Court in the &#8220;<em>N\u00e4tkasinot<\/em>&#8221; case (NJA 2025 p. 719). The court found that there were clear signs that PJ had lost control of his gambling when he was offered VIP membership. The court held that the betting companies, through the detailed behavioural data they collected, must have been aware of his serious gambling problem. Despite this, they had directed individually tailored and intrusive marketing towards him, including bonuses, trips, and invitations to high-stakes competitions. Under these circumstances, enforcing the betting agreements would be contrary to good faith and fair dealing. The companies were ordered to repay PJ&#8217;s net losses of approximately SEK 4.7 million.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"question-block filter-container__element\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"filter-container__match-html\">What other sports law topic(s) would you highlight as being very current and relevant in your country?<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<button id=\"show-me\">+<\/button>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"question_answer filter-container__match-html\" style=\"display:none;\"><p>One particularly current sports law topic in Sweden is the relationship between sport, organised crime and the integrity of sporting competitions. The Swedish Government has recently issued a new committee directive (Dir. 2026:86) appointing a national coordinator to strengthen the work against crime and serious disorder connected to sport.<\/p>\n<p>The background is that the increasing professionalisation and commercialisation of elite sport has created larger financial flows and more complex relationships between clubs, federations, agents, sponsors and betting operators. At the same time, organised crime has become more sophisticated and increasingly makes use of legitimate structures and businesses. Sport is therefore seen as vulnerable to, among other things, match-fixing, money laundering, criminal agent activities, financial irregularities in player transfers and attempts to influence or infiltrate sports organisations.<\/p>\n<p>The committee is tasked with examining how the cooperation between the police, prosecutors, the Swedish gambling authority, sports organisations and other relevant actors can be improved. It will identify gaps in the current system, promote information-sharing and propose measures to make crime prevention and enforcement more effective and coordinated. The assignment also covers serious disorder at sporting events, particularly football matches, including questions concerning exclusion measures, supporter culture and the legal framework surrounding pyrotechnics.<\/p>\n<p>Another legislative topic to monitor going forward is the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024\/1624), which will bring professional football clubs and football agents within the scope of EU AML obligations. The Regulation allows, <em>inter alia<\/em>, Member States to exempt certain low-risk professional football clubs in lower divisions than the top league, making it necessary to monitor whether Sweden chooses to apply that exemption. The rules specifically targeting football clubs and agents are not due to take effect until 10 July 2029, rendering a window of preparation and legislative development during which the Swedish approach will need to be closely followed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n<div class=\"word-count-hidden\" style=\"display:none;\">Estimated word count: <span class=\"word-count\">4467<\/span><\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t<\/ol>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/twentyseventeen\/src\/jquery\/components\/filter-guides.js\" async><\/script><\/div>"}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comparative_guide\/151600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comparative_guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/comparative_guide"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legal500.com\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=151600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}